Pinpoint
by Miyu.Lara
Summary: He's a famous author with ambition. She's a smoker, semijunkie bar musician with no apparent future. Both from different worlds that colide in one heroic act. chapter 4 up! A look inside Felix's head.
1. Rescue in the Shallows

_I thought I should add some new blood into my library before continuing on with other stories. If you've been a reader of Outlaws, you'll find that this is completely different. This is mostly a romance tale about Jenna and Isaac. Isaac is a popular novelist and Jenna is an amateur musician that gets gigs in a bar. I was inspired by Gravitation, which I've been watching over and over lately. _

_So yeah that's pretty much it. I'll let my typing take me along for the rest of the job._

_And just to be clear, Isaac, Jenna, Mia, and Garet are all 19. Felix is 21, Piers is 23, Ivan and Sheba are both 15._

_Disclaimer: I still don't own Golden Sun._

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**PINPOINT**

Chapter 1: Rescue in the Shallows

I cannot get a good start on this new novel. My fingers stroked the keys of my precious laptop without having anything to say. I glance at the time. Already two hours past midnight. Had I really been staring at this black document page for six hours? It seemed like only a few minutes ago I sat at my desk, attempting to get a simple word which would get me working.

It's odd. What used to inspire me a few days ago now seems so primitive and out of line. I cannot get any new idea to come to me.

I sat there, tapping my fingers against the flat surface of my work table for another good twenty minutes before deciding to give it up for the night. I stepped away from my computer and pulled on my coat. I needed some air…and maybe a drink.

After wandering the streets in my car for another hour I gave up on the drink. Stepping into a bar meant that I'd probably leave drunk, a woman hanging at my arm, and I'd awake in my bed, having no memory of the person lying next to me. I wanted to avoid that waste of time tonight. No, there was a place where I wanted to try and revive my poor writer's soul.

I haven't been in this park for a while now. I used to go here to think while no one was around. I'd be surprised to find someone here at the moment. This is the time when sleep usually comes to you. This is the time when normal people go to bed. I hardly slept lately. My mother would call me some sort of vampire if I'd ever tell her.

I came across a bench and sat down, letting the cool breeze of the night brush through my untidy blond hair. Somehow, I thought this place would give me an idea, that it would extend to me a hand and drop inspiration into my own. It's weird, that night I pleaded anyone who could hear to help me spark the source of my talent back to flames full of fury and passion. I think that somewhere above, someone may have heard me after all.

As I placed my head into my hands as to drown away the fatigue, I heard a scream. A scream coming from a horrified throat which was in need of a savior. I don't know what made me leap up and follow the cries of this damsel in distress, but next thing I knew I was looking for the cause.

I found it near a fountain. Two men. One keeping her hands into her back and another holding her head steady, her nose scraping the surface of the water. I smiled slightly thinking of the reaction my poor mother's face would give me if I ever told her that I was not the only vampire who roamed the park so late. The funny remarks soon left my thoughts as I saw the man holding on to her head push it into the basin of water. I heard the girl's stifled cries (and I might add a good amount of muffled swearing) and I saw her trying to fight her oppressors off.

I know that I got angry, which doesn't happen often. I try to suppress strong emotions as much as I can but that night, I felt anger boiling inside of me. The first man was punched strongly into the stomach, and then kicked into the head fiercely. Without anyone restraining her arms, the girl attempted to fight off the other man who still had a firm hold on her head. I could see from the first glance that she wasn't going to manage. She was in luck however. After seeing what my temper had done to his friend, they both fled, afraid of much worse.

I watched after them, disappearing into the woods. I then turned my gaze to the damsel no longer in distress. She had dropped to her knees, breathing heavily. I wasn't surprised. A minute longer underneath the water and she would have suffocated. I slowly walked towards her, debating to ask if she was alright or to silently evade myself into the night.

"Thank you." she said in between breaths, her face still turned away from me.

"This isn't really a place for defenseless girls at night." I told her with a tone slightly going to arrogance. "You should be more cautious."

It's at that moment precisely that she turned around and made me a prisoner of a feeling so strange and unexpected to me…on her face was a vexed look, probably from my comment about being defenseless, and with a familiar distortion of exhaustion, mostly around the eyes. She stared viciously at me with her maroon eyes, seeming almost red in the faint glisten of the lampposts. Her hair was long, auburn, and wet. It had been let down, covering some parts of her face. She only wore a simple green tank top and black jeans. And into the soft light, I saw her shiver slightly.

I was somehow enchanted by every single detail about her.

"Oh I would've loved to defend myself," she said, standing up, "only it's a bit harder when your head is being held under water. Want to give it a try?"

She was a bit shorter than me which I couldn't help but find adorable.

"I'll pass." I said, smiling slightly. There was a moment of silence. I hated these. It felt worse when they were with her.

"I'm Jenna." she finally said to break the silence.

"Isaac." I said. I shook her hand, which was trembling.

"Well," she said, letting go, "I better be on my way."

Jenna began to walk away. I admired her silhouette in the pale glow of the lanterns before having an idea.

"Do you live far?" I called back.

She turned around. I heard an almost mute gasp escape her lips. "On Edgar Lane." she said.

"Then not far." I said. "Look, it's late. I wouldn't be gallant if I let you walk after saving your life." I beckoned this soaked angel to follow me.

I had parked just outside the park. I unlocked the doors and opened the one on the passenger side for her. She hesitated for a moment, and then got in. I sat at the driver's seat, turning my keys and letting the engine purr.

For the whole ride she sat there in the leather seat, her legs crossed and not saying a word. I watched her from the corner of my eye. Was that a slight blush I distinguished on her face? I never knew.

As I turned on Edgar Lane she asked me to stop the car. "I'll walk from here." she said.

"Will you be alright?" I asked, my arm resting on the steering wheel as I braked softly.

"I think I can handle a minute long walk to my own home. There are no fountains around to drown my head in so I should be fine."

That last comment brought a smile to my lips. "Watch out for birdbaths." I said, turning my face towards her as she opened the car door. I think I heard a short chuckle. She was about to close the door but I called her back for the second time that night.

"Jenna." I said, digging into my coat pocket. "Take this." I handed her my card. "It might be useful to you if your head is ever into the water again." She took it and smiled slightly. I think she blushed again.

"Goodnight." she said shyly.

"Sleep well." I said before she closed the door. She crossed over to the sidewalk and walked away. I sighed. I wished she could have stayed a while longer. I nostalgically drove away, not realizing then that this was the inspiration I was waiting for…

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I got back into my car after a very steamy conversation with my publisher. It wasn't only the fact that I hadn't reached my deadline, it was also the fact that my latest novel hadn't sold as much as the previous. Which meant that if the one I was working on at the moment didn't have anything fresh about it, I would be out of a job…why was inspiration so hard to find in this city? I banged my head on the stirring wheel and breathed in. And just as though the sky was trying to match my mood, it began to rain.

I drove off, hearing the violent drops of rain hitting the car's metal and windows.

Best thing to do was to get back home, try advancing at least a little.

I pulled out of the large parking and my mind went back to the scene of the fountain for probably the thousandth time that week. Soon past the after-glow of my meeting with Jenna, I couldn't help but ask myself questions about her. Who was she? Where was she now? Why were those men attacking her? Were they going to look for her again? Not that he was worried…she seemed like the kind of young woman who knew how to defend herself. But still, there must have been some sort of reason why she was being attacked…

I figured I'd never really know. Though I had given her my number, I didn't think she would call me. She seemed like a proud person...which was regrettable.

The rain continued to pour down through the city as I continued through a green light…and then braked as fast as I could. A shadow was standing in the rain, apparently frozen. Her long auburn hair was soaked again…just like the night I had met her.

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_Well that's it for now. I've been planning out this story for a while now. Hope you'll enjoy it._

_All reviews will be read and appreciated. _

_Miyu.Lara_


	2. Rainy Afternoon

_This story exists for two purposes. The first one is to entertain the people who read it. The second is more personal. I feel like I need to surpass my current writing skill and bring myself to a new level. This is why I'll be changing the narrative perspective from character to character throughout the story. _

_Now enjoy chapter 2 of Pinpoint_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Golden Sun. Now go read, or go figure. _

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_Chapter 2: Rainy Afternoon 

It took me a while to get out of bed that day. Work didn't seem too inviting. I think this was the closest thing I've been to a hangover in three years. I really had to slack off on drinking at every gig we had…

I slowly got out of bed, rubbing my eyes. I had a craving for a smoke but passed. If I smoked one more time in this house, Felix would kill me. I instead slowly guided myself into the bathroom to take a shower. Everything seemed fine until I felt that the hot water went cold. I quickly washed myself and got out, making a mental note to kill Ivan for using all of the hot water.

I dressed in my work clothes, which meant nothing too revealing, though I still had the urge to call in sick. I knew it wasn't a good idea. If I didn't live with a brother who could do nothing but reason you whenever you did something that 'was not right', it would be easier.

Everyone was downstairs, eating breakfast. The simple thought of it made my stomach scream in protest but I had to eat. Not eating 'was not right'.

"Omelette, Jenna?" Piers asked as soon as he saw me coming into the room. I nodded sleepily while sitting down across Ivan, who I had a strong urge to throw an orange at.

"Felix, can I borrow your car?" I asked.

"No." he answered.

"Well that's a bit mean, don't you think?" I said.

"May I remind you that last time you borrowed it, you parked illegally and had it towed." my brother said.

Oh right, I forgot to mention. Having your brother's car towed on purpose because he flushed your cigarettes down the toilet 'was not right'. Though he never knew I did it on purpose…

"You know very well that was an accident! I learned my lesson. Come on, give me a chance." I said.

"If you bring it back in one piece. That means not a scratch. And no smoking." he said.

"Agreed." I said while taking a bite out of the piece of omelette Piers had just set down in front of me.

"I thought you were trying to quit anyways." said Ivan, joining into the conversation.

"I thought I told you not to badger me about it anymore." I said. "It's not like it bothers you."

"It bothers me when we're playing at High Crisis bar." said Ivan. "How many did you smoke last night?"

"Five…but that's not the point. Bars are the only place left where I can still smoke, so shut it, pipsqueak."

"Does that mean you won't let me finish your omelette?" he asked.

"Knock yourself out." I said, pushing my plate towards him. "And after you're done, hurry up or you'll have to catch the bus to school."

Yes, it was an agreement. Whoever had the car gave Ivan a ride to school. Piers had a car too, but it was at the garage. Giving Ivan driving lessons wasn't such a good idea after all.

"Come on, Ivan!" I yelled from the entrance hall, putting on my coat. I slipped my hand in my pocket and felt something like a card. I pulled it out and smiled slightly. Was he really expecting me to call him or was he just being nice?

"What's that?" asked Ivan, pulling on his shoes.

"Oh, nothing important." I said, stuffing it back into my pocket. I had to snap back to reality. Isaac was a rich man with a leather interior car and I was a poor tobacco addict who has nothing to make her life worth being known.

"Are you ready yet? I can't be late for work again." I snapped to Ivan.

"Ready." he said.

"Bye Piers, bye brother I love so much." I called out to the kitchen before leaving the house.

I got into Felix's beloved car and stopped Ivan before he got in. "Have you got everything you need? I'm not turning around because you forgot your wallet again." I asked.

"No, I got everything." said Ivan, getting in.

"Good." I said.

I drove off without another word, realizing only at the first intersection that Felix had left the radio on that station I hated.

"Why do you two hate each other so much?" asked Ivan, so suddenly that it made me wonder if he couldn't read minds.

"Felix and I?" I asked. "We don't hate each other." Though I highly doubted my words that morning.

Ivan remained silent for the rest of the ride. He obviously figured out that he had hit a nerve. I took advantage on his silence to deny what Ivan thought. In my head I tried to see when I felt happy to see my brother that morning. This effort was useless. Last night…all the same. He had ruined my fun by taking my fifth tequila away from my hand before I was about to drink it and dragged me to the car.

I didn't hate him, I kept telling myself. How could I? I owed Felix a lot. Much more than my life was worth.

I pulled the car across from the school, where parents usually dropped off their kids.

"You be good." I told Ivan. "I mean it. If Piers has to go down to the principal's office one more time, you're lunch."

"You weren't an angel in highschool yourself." said Ivan.

"Don't judge anyone by their highschool days, understood?" It angered me that the kid could only take example on people's past mistakes.

"But Felix says you haven't changed a bit since." said Ivan.

"Get out." I said, annoyed at both Ivan and my brother. "I'll pick you up later."

Ivan left the car without another word.

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"Good morning, Jenn!" said Garet as soon as she entered the technicians' HQ of Starlet Studios. "My, you look grumpy today!"

"Glad to see you're such in a good mood yourself." I replied, sitting at my desk. I wanted to avoid at all costs my conversation with Ivan. It irritated me that I was getting annoyed by the words of a kid. "Any breakdowns in the studio yet?"

"None yet. It's been pretty quiet. Except for the president who wanted me to have a look at his PC." said Garet. "Nothing big, someone from maintenance probably unplugged the screen by error."

"And he didn't realize that it was unplugged?" I said, smiling. The president of Starlet Studios was such a newbie when it came to machines. "Typical."

People often wondered why I complained so much about this job. From their view, I had really nothing to complain about. I was head of the technical division of an internationally known studio, I was well-paid for someone who didn't have a degree in this domain, and I had good perks as leader. Though, from my view, it was different. I was head of a division of lazy people who fixed things only halfway (except for Garet, he seemed to have some sense), I was crammed into a room with a dozen desks with hardly any room to move, and I was disregarded by most of my 'colleagues' because I was female.

Men can be so macho in this area of work; I call it the 'caveman syndrome'. When they opened their mouths to tell me I was just a woman, all I could hear was: 'me caveman, me has big club, you female, we mate, make more cavemen with big clubs.' None of them could admit that I could fix a speaker or a console in about five minutes while they took more than an hour to realize which wires connected with what.

"Did you get any news on the staff the president is taking for the Beauty and the Beat tour yet?" I asked.

"No, but I'm sure you're part of it." said Garet, putting his feet on his desk.

"I hope." I said. I was hoping they'd choose me as main tech since the tour was announced well over two months ago. Not only were they my favorite band when I was Ivan's age and that going on tour with them would probably fulfill my teenager fantasies but it was also the fact that it promised me a one way ticket away from this city for at least a year. No nagging Felix, no annoying Ivan, no motherly Piers, no sexist co-workers for a whole year! I only hoped Garet would come along too, not only was he my best friend since the first day of highschool, but his company was probably the only one I ever wanted back then.

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I left at lunch to go buy myself some smokes and to go meet with my dealer. I would never go see anyone else ever again after the fountain incident. I knew I should have been suspicious when they said they'd sell me that morphine half-price. If that Isaac hadn't turned up, I wouldn't have lived it out.

The guy at the cigarette shop flirted with me as usual, asking for my ID to waste my time, checking out my ass as I left.

I walked to the park where I usually met him, getting shivers while I passed the fountain when I had almost drowned. Susa was standing at his usual spot.

"Hey there, Jenn! Heard you had a rough night the other day." he said as I gave him the 'shake'.

"Your fault for not being around." I said.

"Hey, hey, don't blame me now! I thought you knew better than to go buying off two foreigners." said Susa. "That Agatio and Saturos sure are a sketchy duo."

"Well anyways, give me the usual." I asked, I didn't want to be seen chatting with this guy too long.

"You know, every time you come here to buy me your regular dose of morphine, you just break my heart. You're such a pretty girl and you look smart too. What do you say you just quit this bad girl act?"

"The usual, Susa." It's not that his intentions were bad, but I knew what I wanted. It was just morphine, nothing too hard. I wasn't on cocaine or heroine, it was just an innocent dose of ten millimeters of morphine per two days. I could stop anytime I wanted to.

The money and syringe exchange hands quickly and as I placed my dose into my pocket, I felt for the second time Mr. Isaac's business card.

"Hey Susa," I asked suddenly "do you know anything about Isaac Komadori?"

"Isaac Komadori! Where have you been Jenna?" said Susa, as though I was supposed to know who he was. "He's the most famous novelist in the country!"

"I see." I said, quite surprised at this information. "Have you ever-you know-met him?"

"In a bar once. I tried to sell him something, but he practically shooed me away. He's not the talkative type. I swear, the guy looks like a murderer when he's angry."

"I see, thanks Susa." I said, turning to go away. Susa caught me by the arm.

"Word's out on the street that he's the guy who saved you the other night." he said. What could I say? Should I tell him the truth? When I didn't reply, Susa added: "Be careful, Jenna. You shouldn't go near that guy."

He let go of my arm and I walked away, thinking. There was something about Isaac that had made me nervous. He did look like a murderer himself. He had light blue eyes that reminded me of an icy cliff. I had found it hard to look into them the other night without shivering. For a moment I felt like calling him to ask why he had saved me…it didn't seem like something a man like him would do. I then smiled. He didn't know why those people had tried to kill me…he didn't know it was partially my fault for going with them in the park. He didn't know I was trying to buy drugs off of them…he thought I was an innocent damsel in distress that needed help.

It began to rain. It was only then that I realized that I had been out for over an hour. I was late for work. I swore under my breath as I began to run back to the studio. I ran as fast as I could, often forgetting that there was a red light and simply avoiding cars. I was almost across the street that separated me from the studio when a car came speeding towards me.

I never knew why I froze in place. I think it was because I had caught sight of the driver. I heard the man's brakes squeal as the car bumper hit my knees lightly. If I could've moved, I would have ran for it. Isaac Komadori came out of his car looking both angry and happy to see me.

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I still couldn't speak. I had a towel over my shoulders and a cup of my favorite tea in my hands. I was sitting on a couch that wasn't my own. I still didn't know what I was doing in his house.

"Drink up." said a voice behind me. Isaac had just emerged from what looked like his bedroom wearing dry clothes. I drank a sip of the tea he had given me, unable to say anything else.

"Now why is it that every time I bump into you, I see you risking your life." he said, sitting next to me. Why was it that he only saw me when I was at my weakest? I couldn't answer. I stayed silent. When I didn't speak, he began to worry about me.

"Are you sure you're alright, Jenna?" he asked. I felt my face grow hot. I loved the way he called me by my first name.

"I'm fine." I answered. Suddenly, my cell phone rang from the bag to my right. I hurried to answer it.

"Jenna." I said, picking it up.

"Jenna, it's Garet. Where the hell are you?"

"I'm – I've been smoking." I lied. I knew Garet wouldn't buy it.

"All this time?" questioned Garet. "Well, it doesn't matter where you are. Get your ass over to the studio right now before the president decides to drop in."

Shit. I had forgotten that he was coming in our office for his monthly report today.

"I'll be there as soon as I can." I said, hanging up.

I turned to Isaac. He had been watching me this whole time. "Who was that?" he asked.

"A friend." I replied, shrugging off the towel on my shoulders and getting to my feet.

"Why did you lie to him?" he asked me. What was his business if I lied to Garet? I suddenly felt angry towards him. I think I lost control…

"I don't know. Maybe because if I told him I was in a complete stranger's apartment, the same stranger who saved my life from two drug dealers, an incident he doesn't know about, he'd probably call my brother on you who would probably beat you to pulp, find out I buy morphine illegally, find my dealer, kill my dealer, make me move out of town so I have no contact with you whatsoever which would be a real pain because I find you so damn attractive."

Yeah…I had definitely lost control. Isaac's murderer eyes lit up in a way I never thought they could. Before I could do anything, he had gotten to his feet and pressed his lips against mine. A feeling close to ecstasy swept over me. I didn't try to withdraw from the kiss. I knew Isaac's strong arms wouldn't let me escape them anyways.

"I was starting to think you were too much of a good girl." he whispered into my ears. His breath felt warm on my neck. I was about to get lost into his embrace when a few random words came crashing into my hazy brain.

"Studio. Garet. President. Office. Report."

It took me a while to remember what those words meant. I gasped as they came into a full sentence. 'I have to get to the studio, like Garet said because the president is coming to our office for a monthly report.'

"Isaac, I have to go." I said seriously, trying to withdraw from his arms. He let me go. His eyes had turned back to ice.

"I want two things from you before you go." he said, looking straight into my eyes. "Your phone number and your correct address so I can pick you up properly to take you to dinner tomorrow night."

I blushed a furious color of red. I wrote both of them down for him, grabbed my things and grabbed hold of the door. He called me back once again.

"I don't know where you need to go to, but I know that if I drive you, you'll be there faster than if you walk."

I hadn't thought of that. The studio was hours away on foot.

"Do you know where Starlet Studios is?" I asked him.

He nodded and we both left to go down to the apartment building's parking lot. The road to the studio was uneventful, except for the furtive looks Isaac gave me from the corner of his eye. It was as though he was afraid I'd jump out of the car when he wasn't looking. As we got in front of the studio, he kissed me lightly and whispered 'see you tomorrow night' in my ear.

I bid him goodbye and hurried inside without turning back.

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"Oh! It's Jenna you want to see, well she's…um…well…"

I heard Garet voice trying to protect me from inside the office. I came in, my clothes all wet and looking 'not so professional'.

"I'm sorry I'm late Mr. Kraden." I said, casually. "You see, during my lunch hour I was on my way to have lunch at my boyfriend's place on the other side of town when my car broke down. Then it began raining, as though everything had to go wrong. I could do nothing else than call my boyfriend to cancel and wait for the garage to tow my car and repair it. I was lucky to get such fast service!"

"These things happen, my dear." said the president in a compassionate way. I smiled. He had bought my story. Garet looked at me from behind Kraden in a suspicious way. I'd have to tell him everything later. "Now, I am ready to hear your report. I suggest we go to my office where it's quieter."

"May my associate come?" I asked. Garet always assisted me in my duties.

"I cannot see why he shouldn't." said Kraden, beaconing us outside the encased space that was the technicians' HQ.

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"So you're telling me that the country's most famous writer almost ran you over, took you to his apartment, made out with you, asked you out, and then drove you back to work." said Garet as he took a puff from his cigarette.

It was after work. Garet and I would usually have a smoke before going over to the house for dinner. He didn't live with Piers, Ivan, Felix, and I but he always came for dinner. It was a golden rule.

"Yep, that's pretty much it." I said, being careful not to mention the fountain incident.

"You forgot one thing, though. We got a gig tomorrow night." said Garet.

Damn it. He was right.

"I bet I can arrange something with Isaac. If not, we can cancel." I said so casually that Garet inhaled smoke.

"You want to cancel a gig!?" he said, still coughing.

"We've played hundreds, Garet. Can't we have a rain check?"

"That Isaac must be one hell of a guy if you're willing to miss a gig for him."

"Oh, he is." I answered, stepping over my cigarette.

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_I felt like giving you readers more than one chapter, that way I'm obliged to continue this fic. _

_Again, all reviews are read and appreciated. I'm open to constructive criticism. _

_Miyu.Lara_


	3. For a First Date

_Sorry about my lack of updates, I've been caught up with things lately. Anyways, here it is. Chapter 3._

_Reviewers:_

_Souunga- Haha thanks. I'm glad to get a review from you as well._

_Yuzuki Minoru- -lols- well it's to be expected, right? Thanks for reviewing. _

_Anon. –Wow, that comment made me feel good about my work. Anyways, thank you, and I'll try to keep the grammar as it is._

_Flowers of Moss- Thank you very much. Reviews like this make my day._

_Lumberry- -lols- yeah I noticed a similar mistake in the first chapter. I'm not used to writing at the first person so I often make errors and write at the third person unconsciously. Thanks for pointing that out._

_

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_Chapter 3: For a First Date 

I never knew what made me kiss her that day. I did know however that her presence had unclogged my brain, making me capable of writing once again. I had stayed on the couch for a long time, right beside where Jenna had been sitting a few hours ago. She never did look happy. There was always something in her eyes, something that made me realize that she wasn't happy. I had a desire for this. For some reason, I wanted to be the one to make her happy.

After a while, I got up to work. The words would just flow right out of me…and for that, I had to thank Jenna. I'd always get the feeling she was there behind me, watching as I wrote, correcting me where she needed to. This only made me long for her even more throughout the rest of the day. I had never been this happy, I think. Never had a person made me feel so right.

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I was nervous as I knocked on number eleven Edgar Lane. Jenna had mentioned her brother and I didn't think him and I would be friends so quickly. I braced myself for a number of accusative stares and little snide comments, suggesting I'd bring her home before eleven. Gosh, it had been so long since I had taken a woman out. Usually, they'd just come to me…

The door opened and a blue-haired man answered. He smiled at me. "Oh, you must be Jenna's date. Come in, come in. She's getting ready."

Was this the scary brother I feared? I couldn't believe it was, and I found out only second after that I was right. The nice man led me into their living room and had me seated on a sofa.

"I'll call Jenna." he said, leaving me alone in the room. Well, this was awkward. Here I was, sitting alone in someone else's living room, looking around.

"Hello!" said someone in the entrance. I looked around. There was a teenager, no older than sixteen. "Jenna isn't ready yet so she asked me to distract you."

He sat across from me. "I'm Ivan." he said.

"Isaac." I replied. I got a feeling this kid was going to annoy me.

"So you're the famous novelist." said yet another voice. I knew before I turned around that this was my brother enemy. He was tall, probably taller than me. His eyes looked almost as dangerous as my own. He looked pretty strong too. His hair was hazel and long.

"I'm Felix." he said, holding out his hand. I shook it rapidly. "You look exactly like your pictures: Pretty boy and insensitive."

"And you look exactly how I pictured." I said calmly. "Brutish and overprotective."

"I don't know what my sister saw in you, but I swear, if you hurt her…"

"Intimidating my date, big brother?"

Her voice came over me like some sort of calming music. She walked into the room, and I was absolutely awed. She must have known that I'd take her somewhere nice because she had put on a beautiful forest green dress which tied at the back of her neck and the skirt coming down like a cascade of leaves. Her hair was let down and simply completed her beauty.

"Well, are you three going to look at me like that all night or should we get going?" she said and I looked around. Clearly she didn't usually look like this. Her brother and the teenager were both looking at her as though they had never seen her before.

"Whoa…" said Ivan. "Jenna looks like a girl."

I got up to leave, trying not to laugh at what I had just heard. Jenna stuck out her tongue at him and led me out of the room. Felix followed us.

"Now, I want this to be clear." said Felix.

"And I don't want to hear it." said Jenna. "I'm old enough to know what's right."

"Well apparently, you don't." said Felix, as Jenna led me out of the house. She closed the door behind her with an angry gasp.

"He always does that." she said. "I hope he wasn't too _intimidating_." I laughed. I wasn't the only one who thought that his overprotective brother act was a bit of a joke, especially at her age.

"At least he cares about you." I said, opening the passenger door of my car for her.

She snorted. "Cares too much is more like it."

Jenna got into my car and I hurried to get behind the wheel. We pulled out of Edgar Lane in silence.

"You look beautiful tonight, Jenna." I said to break the silence. I saw her blush slightly in the corner of my eye. "And the people back at your place seemed to think so too."

"Ivan and Felix are a good duo of idiots." said Jenna. "Piers seems to be the only rational person in that house."

"How come you live with them?" I asked, wanting to know how she came to live with her brother and two other men.

"Felix wanted to keep me close, even after he had bought a house with Piers." said Jenna. "I had nowhere to go so I had no choice to live with them back then."

"What about the kid?"

"Ivan? We found him rumbling through our garbage one night. He said he ran away from home and that he wasn't going back. We couldn't leave him alone in the streets so we took him in. It took forever to get him enrolled into a highschool…since we weren't his legal guardians." said Jenna.

"Are you now?" I asked.

"Piers is working on it." said Jenna. "He's studying to be a lawyer."

"I see." I said, interested.

"So anyways, where are you taking me?" she asked.

"The Crystal Rose." I said with a smirk. It was the most expensive restaurant in town.

Jenna didn't say anything but I could feel her excitement. I got the feeling that most men that she had gone out with must have taken her to dinner at a hot dog stand.

Throughout the ride, I couldn't help to look at her at every minute or so. She seemed to just shine. I was quite relieved as I pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant. I had to admit it was quite awkward. I opened the door for her and offered her my arm. She wore an embarrassed yet pleased smile on her lips. I figured it was the first time a man was being this gallant with her.

"Reservation?" asked the man at the receiving counter.

"Komadori for two." I said, feeling Jenna grip my arm tighter.

"Right this way, sir." said a waiter and I heard Jenna gasp.

"What is it?" I asked her silently as we followed the man to our table.

"That waiter is my ex-boyfriend, Alex." said Jenna, biting her lip.

Great…just what I needed. As we took our seat and the waiter handed us our menus, he seemed to recognize my date under her girl disguise.

"Jenna? Is that really you?" asked Alex. Jenna gave him a shy, mortified smile.

"Hey Alex…back in town?" she asked.

"Yeah, came back a few months ago. Tried looking for you guys but I didn't have any luck." said Alex.

"Well, here I am." said Jenna.

I felt almost as uncomfortable as her. To focus his attention away from my date, I gave him the old 'clearing my throat so look at me'.

"If you'll let us choose our meals now…" I said, suggesting he left. Alex looked affronted but nodded and left us.

"I'm sorry…" said Jenna, putting her face into her hands.

"It's not your fault, really. You had no clue he'd be here." I said, though I suddenly felt an urge to leave.

"Still…I know you were aiming for a magical night without my ex-boyfriend around…" said Jenna.

It was true…but letting her know how much this irked me would only make matters worse for the night. I remained silent, pretending to be interested to my menu. Jenna followed my lead.

The rest of our time at the restaurant was passed in a series of awkward silences, classy plates of food, and an annoying waiter.

It wasn't until we got back into my car that I realized I wasn't the only one disappointed. Jenna looked livid beside me.

"That Alex…he disappears for years without a word and comes back and expects everything to be exactly how he left it!" she ranted the moment I closed the car doors.

At that moment it was clear. He had hit the road without seeing anyone and broken her heart.

"I'm sorry." I said.

"What the hell are you apologizing for?" asked Jenna, suddenly livid. "You didn't make him go away when I needed him."

"Do you need to talk about it?" I asked. I didn't wait for an answer. I drove off and took the road to the country. "We can drive around all night. I can't get you home looking like this or your brother will probably kill me."

Jenna sighed. "It all started when I was nine. My family used to live in a small town away from here, in a shabby apartment. My parents got divorced and my mom became the only one who had legal rights over Felix and I. My dad got angry. A few weeks later, he sneaked inside my bedroom and took me away."

"Your own father kidnapped you…" I said, feeling slightly uneasy. I had a dream childhood compared to her.

"I spent three years of my life evading the police with him. We'd make ends meet by playing music in the streets. That's how we made it here." she continued, looking blankly in front of her. "Then, one night, my dad went out. We were in a shabby hotel and I was terrified that something would happen. When dad took me away, I swore to myself I wouldn't call for help, but I just lost it that night. I called at home and Felix picked up. I told him where I was and that dad had left me alone."

"He came for you?" I asked and she nodded.

"My dad had been home for twenty minutes when the police came. The chief's son, Piers, stayed with me all night at the police station. In the morning, my mother and Felix came to get me. Of course we had to stay in town for my father's trial. Only, he escaped from jail."

"How did he manage that?" I asked. I had never heard of a breakout around here.

"Don't ask me. My dad was supposed to be some sort of genius. Anyways, when he escaped, my mom thought better to just get out of town. She drove that car really fast that night…"

I understood. She had lost her mother that night.

"The court took Felix and me to different foster homes. We were separated for a good four years until my brother reappeared. He had turned of age and he said that we could be a family again. Piers was with him. And so I moved in with them on the other side of town and entered a new high school."

"And that's where you met Alex?" I asked, seeing why knowing the first part was important.

"He would understand me…he'd be able to calm me down. He knew me better than anyone would ever know me. Before I knew it, I was in love. Alex inspired me to start music again. He encouraged me to do things I would have never done. Felix always said he was a bad influence on me, but they got along well. Then Alex finished high school along with my brother. He promised me that he'd always be there, whatever happened."

"He didn't keep that promise." I understood.

"He chickened out. I got into morphine and I didn't tell him a thing. The night I told him, I begged him to help me. He simply said nothing. He waited until I fell asleep and then hit the road."

There was a moment of silence when I contemplated this in my head. I couldn't bare it. Her whole life had been only pain…if I had been alone, I would have cried...yes, I would have cried for her.

"I'm sorry." she said finally. "I shouldn't have told you all that."

"You needed to get it off your chest." I said. "All of it."

She nodded. "Well, talk about a first date. I ruined everything." she said.

I smiled. "We'll have a second chance."

"Are you proposing a second date to me, Mr. Komadori?" she asked, a sly smirk on her lips.

"Tomorrow night." I said.

"Oh…I can't." she said, putting her head down. "Our band is playing at High Crisis bar tomorrow night. I already rescheduled for tonight."

"Then it's a date." I said.

"You're not…I mean, you wouldn't be interested…"

"Why not?" I said.

"Well, I don't think you'd be interested in a garage band." she said.

"If you're in it, I'd be interested." She blushed but didn't answer. "Then it's a date." I repeated.

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"Now there's some best seller material." said my editor, reading the first chapter of my new novel.

I smiled as I took a sip of the tea in front of me. Finally, some progress.

"I'll be making arrangements for book signings when it comes out. In the meantime, thank that muse of yours and keep on writing."

Oh he didn't need to worry…I'd give a big thank you to my new muse.

_

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__Yeah, a bit of a crappy chapter with a crappy ending. Everything I write lately is crap anyways so I apologize in advance for the crappiness._

_Miyu.Lara_


	4. I care

_I think I'd kick myself if I just discontinued my fan fiction. Sorry for the wait. I've been really busy with school lately. I've been so busy that I hardly even use the computer for leisure anymore. Yep, call me crazy._

_**WARNING**__: This chapter and the ones following involve love in between two men. If this offends you in any way, I suggest you don't read anymore. Flamers will be completely ignored. I have warned you so don't complain to me for what you decide to read on your own. _

_Reviewers: _

_Souunga- Thanks for the positive comments. It helps. But I still find I could have made a better ending to last chapter. Maybe I'll edit it some time. Thanks for reviewing._

_Phornivas- Big ass review! That's what I'm talking about! –ahem- don't mind me. Anyways, I'm working on Isaac. I wanted to make him a really closed kind of person that no one knows anything about until much later. That way, even though you're in his head, you have a feeling of uncertainty towards the character. But I'll take that comment into consideration and try to add him more dept. The thing with Jenna is that she's pretty much a ball balancing on a stick, which means that her character doesn't have much balance. That's how I saw her while I played the game anyways. It's pretty hard to describe, but I'm doing this to evolve. The story is set in a metropolis, it's just pretty much implied. But I will try to give more imagery to the setting to help you along. And I'm non-american too (Canadian!), but I pretty much live downtown Ottawa, which is a small metropolis. What's great about writing is that you have no limits, and a style isn't something that two people can have, in my opinion. But thanks for your long review. I love to get these._

_Yeah, guys, I'm disappointed. I know that at least 80 people read my last chapter and only 2 out of them even bothered to review. I want to hear your opinions so don't be shy (or lazy)._

_

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_

Chapter 4: I care.

My forehead was still damp with sweat. It had been a while that I've had this feeling while playing that guitar. I wiped my face with a towel for what seemed to be like the fortieth time in ten minutes.

"Two words," said Garet, lying down on the nearby couch, his own towel on his face. "In tense"

"That's one word you idiot." said Jenna. Her coolness didn't fool me. She had felt it as much as we all had. "I'm going." she said, picking up her things.

"Already?" asked Ivan. "What about the after party?"

"Be home by three." I told her and she rolled her eyes.

"That'll be up to me." she said, and she closed the door of the lodge behind her.

"She's off with that pretty boy again, isn't she?" I asked Garet.

"Well yeah." said Garet, sitting up. "Why else would she be so eager to leave a _bar_?"

"Well look on the bright side, at least she'll cut down on her drinking now." said Piers, packing up his bass.

"I bet that Isaac guy is really okay." said Ivan.

"And I bet we won't hear about him again after tonight." I said, getting up. "I'm heading home."

"Already?" asked Piers, looking slightly disappointed.

"I've got a headache." I lied. The afterglow of our show was gone and now I just wanted some peace. I packed my guitar carefully into its case and swung my bag over my shoulder.

"Make sure Ivan doesn't drink enough to have a hang over." I told Piers, slightly stretching my back to peck his cheek. He smiled, meaning that he'd try. I trooped out of the room and closed the door behind myself. I went down a flight of stairs and left through the back door. The truth was that we were getting quite popular at High Crisis Bar, and I didn't really want to be rejecting fan girls all night.

I circled the bar to the front entrance. I could already see my car and our van parked across the street but something else caught my attention. My little sister was also at the entrance, having a cigarette with pretty boy.

"You were great, you know." said Isaac. "It's really surprising to see that chemistry in between you and your brother on stage."

"What do you mean?" asked Jenna.

"Come on, Jenna. Don't tell me you of all people can't feel it." he said. "It's even obvious to the blind eye."

"I don't feel much while I'm on stage, to be honest." said Jenna.

"You must feel something while you're up there." said Isaac.

"Well, I do feel something…but it's hard to explain." said Jenna. She had squashed her cigarette on the ground.

"Try me." said Isaac in probably his most seductive voice. Damn that guy for being so…perfect.

"It just feels as if you'll explode with the excitement that's taken over your brain, and it's buzzing non-stop until you can't take much more and suddenly you just feel so…free, like you've left your body to hover over everything." Jenna looked up into Isaac's eyes. "You just feel so filled up with something so empty... I'm sorry, I'm not making much sense."

But Isaac didn't answer. He had risen up my sister's chin with his thumb and index finger and had kissed her. There was rage boiling inside of me as I saw this. I wanted to tear that Isaac from limb to limb for laying a finger on her. "I've never heard anyone make more sense in my entire life." he said with such a passion that I was positive he was feinting his amazement. He had no idea what Jenna had just described.

I watched as Isaac led Jenna into his expensive car and they soon drove away. Worry crashed into me as though someone had just poured a glass of icy water down my back. As I crossed the street, I turned on my cell phone. I'd be there, even if she didn't want me to be.

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"Bed, Ivan!" I heard Piers declare from the entrance hall of the house.

I heard Ivan protest but soon heard him stomping his way upstairs. I was in the living room, staring at my cell phone as though every detail of it intrigued me. I heard Piers come in and sigh. He sat on the arm of the sofa and placed an arm over my shoulders.

"She'll be fine." he said softly. "She's a big girl, she knows how to take care of herself."

"I know." I said, staring up into his great blue eyes. "I just can't help but thinking…"

"Not every man is like your father, Felix." said Piers. I moved my head to rest on his hip bone. He gave my right shoulder a comforting squeeze with one of his large hands.

"Thanks, Piers." I murmured. He let me go and stood up.

"I'll go make some coffee then." he said. "Because I know I won't be able to get you to sleep until she's back home."

I nodded and watched him leave. That man was the only reason I was still alive. He had rescued me from my dark hole, like an angel would have done and he still had not let me go. After my mother had died and Jenna and I had been scattered across the city, he had found me bloodied up in an alley way. I don't remember why I had picked a fight. I was angry, melancholic, lost…and when Piers had found me, he seemed to clear up everything. It was as though I had awoken from a far off dream and into the reality of it all. The wake up call had hurt, but he had guided me through it – or I should say flown me through it, carried me across with those white wings of his.

He came back to the room, carrying two cups of coffee. He sits beside me on the sofa and places both cups on the coffee table. I looked almost blindly for his shoulder and pressed my head against it. Piers always felt warm, no matter how cold it could be outside. Piers lowered his head gently onto mine, almost relieving me of my anxiousness with his nuzzles.

"Piers?" I asked.

"Mm?' he answered into my hair.

"What if she does call?" I asked him.

"Then we'll go get her, wherever she is." he answered me.

"What if we get there too late?" I asked.

"You're being too preoccupied by this, Felix." said Piers, scratching my head gently with his fingernails. "Isaac doesn't look like that bad of a guy."

"Neither did my father but he still kidnapped her and…and did things a father isn't supposed to do to his daughter." I said. It had slipped out and I regretted saying it out loud. Piers drew me even closer to him, his warm breath whistling through my hair.

"You need to stop thinking that every man interested in Jenna wants to hurt her." said Piers very softly.

I let out a long slow sigh. "She just looks like she's going to crumble all the time." I told him. "She's so vulnerable and she doesn't even know it."

Piers didn't answer but leans towards the table and takes a sip of coffee.

"Isaac will have seen it too." said Piers, setting his cup back on the table and standing up. He went back to the entrance hall and came back a few seconds later holding a book.

"It's his latest." he told me, handing me the book. "I read a few chapters while waiting for my car at the garage. The guy's talented, Felix. It's like he creates real live souls in his novels. I've never read a book that's written with so much passion."

I could only stare at the cover. It bore the picture of a lone man lying down on the park bench. The photograph had taken it while looking down at the scene. The man was dressed in a white t-shirt and dark jeans. He had very light brown hair and dark blue eyes that shown in the sun. For some reason, I couldn't help but being drawn in by those eyes. They reflected something indescribable and it only made me want to grasp the full meaning of it.

The title was sprawled on the cover just as the man was.

"_Hitherto._" I read out loud.

"You should read it." said Piers. "It'll help keep your mind off of things."

I turn the book over. There is no picture of pretty boy in the corner, making the book feel slightly friendlier. There are no quotations of local book critics showing off the novel either. There are only four words written in tiny letters.

"_Judge me, bury me._" I read out loud yet again.

Piers simply stared at me, his blue eyes twinkling in the faint light of the lamp. Damn it, Piers! Why do you have to be so beautiful when you look like that?

I put the book down and kissed him. Who says reading that book will get my mind off of things? I've got my own personal, living, breathing distraction for that. Piers lifted me up and pinned me to the sofa, probably feeling the same way.

"Hallelujah." I sang into his ear, making him chuckle. This would be a long night…

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The cell phone woke me up. I was snuggly sleeping on the sofa under Piers' weight when it woke me up. It woke up Piers too because he was the one who had picked up.

"'lo?" he said, not officially into reality yet. I picked my shirt off the ground and put it over my head.

"We'll be there in a sec, Jenna." he said, his voice suddenly losing its sleepiness.

I was already ready to leave.

"Where is she?" I asked him, pulling on my jacket.

"On the corner of Fidds and Harquet." he told me. "Wait I'm coming too."

"No, I'll go. You stay here." I told him. I didn't give him time to protest. Before I knew it, I was speeding through the almost empty streets. It began to rain. I sped up even more.

Jenna was leaning against the pole that indicated the name of the streets. She climbed into the car, hugging her knees.

"Are you alright?" I asked her as I took off.

She nodded but she couldn't lie. There were traces of tears on her face. I knew that if I asked, she wouldn't tell me.

"He didn't do anything to me." she told me. She wasn't snapping at me. She said it in a calm reassuring way.

Curiosity came over me. What, then? Had she just done a typical 'Jenna' and ran for it?

"I didn't say anything." I said.

"You were thinking it." said Jenna.

There was a long silence.

"Felix, I think I'm in love with Isaac." she said after a while.

I pressed on the breaks in surprise. Luckily it was late and that most of the cars that passed through here were in their driveways. She had never spoken to me about her love life before now.

"That's why you're not with him?" I asked, pressing on the gas to continue our route.

"That's why I've got to get the hell away from him." she told me.

This was what I couldn't understand about Jenna. With every chance she had to be happy, she backed away in her irrational fear to take risks.

"I'll only be a burden to him." she said.

"Maybe he wants you to be a burden." said Felix. "Because believe it or not, some people do love you and want to take care of you even though you're too busy sticking your head in your shell to notice."

I had said it rather aggressively and I did regret saying it after I had said it for she had burst into tears. It had been so long since I had seen her cry.

"I'm sorry, Jenna, I shouldn't have…" I began but she cut me off.

"No, you're right!" she said. "I've been horrible! I've been a headstrong little brat."

"Yet, until now, I've never seen you this happy since Alex." I said.

"Alex is back in town." said Jenna, as though she suddenly remembered an insignificant detail.

"And you've seen him?" I asked.

"Yes…and well, I was with Isaac." she said.

"He must have loved that." I said.

We were nearing the house now and we weren't tearing each other's eyes out of their sockets yet. This was a record.

"He looked like he was ready to murder him." said Jenna. She wasn't being sarcastic.

I could only pretend she was and smile. We didn't speak at all until I pulled into the driveway of the house. Before I even got the keys out of my coat pocket, Jenna hugged me around me around the waist. For a while all that could be heard was the rain pounding on the asphalt of the street. I was simply astonished by the gesture. Since when did I deserve a Jenna-bestowed hug?

At last she let me go. "Thanks, Felix." she said very quietly. I unlocked the door and let us both out of the rain and into the warmth. We were greeted by Piers who hugged Jenna the way a mother would hug her daughter.

"Change out of those wet clothes before you catch a cold." he said. "And try to get some sleep, Jenna. We could mistake you for a corpse."

My little sister soon walked upstairs, leaving me alone with Piers, who gestured me to the kitchen. He closed the door behind him. I suppressed a smile. For some reason, Piers always seemed to think that no one could hear us talk in the kitchen.

"What happened to her?" he asked me. "She's shaking, and not because she's cold."

"I don't know." I told him honestly. "But Isaac didn't do anything."

"Listen, Felix." said Piers. He looked at his feet, looking fearful. Another smile suppressed. He looked so adorable when he was debating on telling me something. "I'm getting worried. I've seen prisoners shake the same way she did tonight when I used to go to work with my dad. Most of them were in jail because of drug problems and…"

"Are you telling me that Jenna is into drugs?" I asked him. This was a big assumption, and back then, I had trouble believing Piers. Jenna's case looked bad but it was hard for me to imagine that she had been taking drugs right under my nose…and that most of all, I had not even noticed.

"It's just an intuition." said Piers.

Damn…whenever Piers said this, he was always right. His intuition was too good to be human.

"Look, Felix," said Piers. "If we haven't noticed until now, it can't be anything too serious, but it can always get worse."

"Innocent until proven guilty, Piers." I told him. I could not – no, would not believe any of it until I had the proof laid down in front of me. "I need some air." Before he could speak another word of his theory, I left the kitchen and the house.

I walked in the rain for a long time, Piers' words weighing on me like a herd of elephants on my shoulders. And then the image of my father loomed into my head. Piers had told me that he had drugged Jenna a few times to do those things to her…tears came to my eyes. It was his fault. And he was still running loose, probably watching her from far away, his eyes filled with the same twisted desire they held before.

Jenna…why did life have to be so cruel to you…?

* * *

_Sorry about the long wait, once again. I started working recently, and it's been taking a lot of my time. So has school. _

_Anyways, another chapter I'm not too happy about. 'Specially the end. Well, can't do any better right now so please bear with me. _

_Miyu.Lara_


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